Mentally ill and (possibly) moving to Germany

Lots of issues here. For one, as an American you keep your citizenship until you deliberately give it up from abroad at a great cost; presently a 2350 USD fee. Moving abroad and even taking another citizenship, which is a years' long process - not just accomplished by marrying, does NOT mean you are no longer American. Marrying a German and residing in Germany doesn't make you a German citizen. It only sets you on the path to possible eventual naturalization. And if you then meet all of the many qualifications and are accepted for German citizenship, then the Germans, not the Americans, usually require you to renounce your US citizenship to get the German one. But there can be an exception. The details are too much off topic to go into here.

But whether a US citizen abroad gets any kind of benefits is something you should look into and not just assume. It will often depend on many factors.

Normally, Germany is very generous with severely permanently handicapped people but they have strict rules to decide who qualifies. And normally, one cannot immigrate to Germany on a family reunion visa unless the couple can earn enough money to live without any kind of social assistance. How it might work in such a situation with both partners being handicapped is beyond my expertise.

And anyone with a serious criminal record can pretty much forget even trying to immigrate. A mental health condition should not be a deciding factor per se – unless the person is considered dangerous to themselves or others.

It's likely difficult if not impossible at the moment to get answers from German consular officials in the US about such matters but you should really contact them. At best, people on this site can only refer to general rules or direct one to the German Immigration Authority website. But such complex matters due to your personal situation should be addressed to the deciding authorities.

And one can pretty much forget running a little farm here. There are possibilities in the States or say in France but in Germany one can forget it. Almost no little farms really exist and one would need millions to buy one. The best one might do is to find a small, old house in a small rural village that has a bit of land attached where one could keep some chicken s and goats.

Thank you!  I know our situation is tricky and that's why I decided to come here to begin asking questions. 

It is a lot to take in, but I'm glad you said what all you did! 

And yes, we are debating living in the us because our money will go farther but I know she is a bit afraid of such a move, but still we discuss it.

Thank you again!

As far as I remember, you are the first disabled person on this forumwanting to move to Germany and live on official handouts. So there isn't much expertise here.
But you may, if youare married and move here to join her, be entitled to such benefits - provided your disability is certified as such by the German authorities. They usually give a percentage rating (e.g. 50% disabled) based on the severity and you are then probably expected to earn at least that percentage of your living expenses (based on HartzIV rates, which are low subsistence level). The reminder may be subsidized by the government, if you are lucky and able to jump through several buerocratic loops and fillmany forms (which are, of course, entirely in German - what are your language skills?).

I used to be a lot better at the language than I am now.  I have various ways to practice, and I originally picked it up fairly easily.  I'm not too concerned about picking it up again once I sit down and really work on it. 

I hate the idea of living on handouts but I really don't have an option.  Wherever I live, I'm going to be disabled and I can't help that. The reason I'm possibly moving to Germany is because I love her and she really doesn't want to come here.  I can understand that and I imagine I'll adjust better to Germany than she will the states. 

I have a vague idea of how the disability stuff works there.  I remember she told me when she got 100% disability and was relieved.